


a home for the soul inside it

by Marishna



Series: Advent Calendar 2016 [16]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Laura Hale, Alpha Scott, Awkward Flirting, Christmas, Christmas Presents, First Meetings, M/M, Magical Tattoos, Panic Attacks, Tattoos, tattoo artist laura hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 04:45:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8876545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marishna/pseuds/Marishna
Summary: "Are you sure about this? You sure you don't want the new Call of Duty or something?"
Stiles looked around at the walls of the tattoo shop dubiously as Scott paged through one of the resident tattooist's portfolios.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Advent Calendar day 16 yay!

"Are you sure about this? You sure you don't want the new _Call of Duty_ or something?"

Stiles looked around at the walls of the tattoo shop dubiously as Scott paged through one of the resident tattooist's portfolios.

Scott shook his head.  "You asked what I wanted for Christmas."

"Yeah, yeah," Stiles grumbled as he continued surveying the walls.  Tattoos weren't his cup of tea but, as Scott said, he'd asked his best friend what he wanted as a gift and Scott decided he wanted a tattoo to represent his pack.  He did some research and found a tattoo parlor a few hours away from Beacon Hills that specialized in supernatural ink of all kinds.

It was a couple days before Christmas and Scott managed to get a last-minute appointment at the shop so Stiles picked him up in the Jeep and they road tripped it out of town.  Stiles kind of hoped Scott would chicken out before they got there but no dice.  He had to admit that he liked the reason why he was doing it but Stiles desperately hoped Scott didn't expect him to watch him get it done.

As he scanned all the designs on the walls his eyes flitted over one that caught his attention.  "Hey Scott," he called out while he tapped the picture.  "Batman tramp stamp. Dibs."

Scott snorted.  "Right," he laughed.

"What, you think I couldn't pull off a Batman tattoo?  That I'm more Robin?" Stiles asked, mock-angrily.

Before Scott could reply a voice responded from behind them.  "I think you're probably more The Flash."

Stiles spun around and saw who was possibly the hottest and scariest guy he'd ever seen in his life to date. He was incredibly fit, with fashionably attractive stubble, light hazel eyes, and a smattering of chest hair revealed by his v-neck t-shirt.  Scott greeted him with a mere nod of his head and Stiles knew immediately the guy was a werewolf.  Scott was the type of guy to greet people with a big smile and handshake, if not a hug, but with werewolves being as territorial as they were he had to restrain himself.

"Are you the tattoo artist?" Stiles asked before he could stop himself.  "And why do you think I'm more like The Flash."

Before the hot scary guy could reply another person from behind _him_ answered instead.  "Because he thinks your ass would look great in spandex."

A woman stepped out from behind the guy with long dark hair and dark eyes.  Unlike him her arms were covered with tattoos and she had multiple piercings in her ears and a hoop in her septum.

"Alpha Hale," she greeted Scott formally.  Scott nodded at her and when she nodded back he grinned and reached out to give her a firm handshake.  "I'll be doing your ink today.  I'm Laura Hale."

"Awesome.  Call me Scott, please.  This is my best friend and second, Stiles."

The guy raised his eyebrow at the mention of Stiles' name but wisely didn't comment.  Laura shook his hand, too, though. 

"This is my little brother Derek. He's just... here." Laura introduced him with a flippant wave of her hand and a teasingly sarcastic tone.

"I'm the bouncer," he replied, sounding annoyed and maybe a little embarrassed.

"You don't have any tattoos," Stiles blurted out as his eyes raked up and down Derek's body.  He felt bad immediately because Derek appeared to get red.

"That you can see," Derek replied quietly but his eyes darted to Stiles quickly before he looked away.  His sister noticed immediately but instead of saying anything she clapped her hands and turned to Scott.

"So you have a design in mind, I take it?"

Scott nodded and they ducked their heads together over a piece of paper Scott pulled out of his pocket to show her.  While they examined what Scott wanted Stiles stood in the middle of the parlor with his hands in his pockets, feeling like a tool.  Derek was still standing in the same spot and watching Stiles.

"You don't like tattoos?" Derek finally asked after too long of Stiles carefully looking anywhere but at him.

"It's not that.  I like the idea of a tattoo and I've seen some cool ones out there, y'know?" Stiles asked, waving his hand to refer to the world in general.  Derek nodded.  "I don't like the needles and pain and blood and needles and the idea that my skin is being punctured over and over and needles."

"But how do you feel about needles?" Derek asked dryly.  

Stiles smiled and opened his mouth to ask Derek a question, any question, but Scott and Laura were done with their preparations.  She ushered them into the back of the shop where a few chairs were set up around stations with all kinds of equipment and various inks and all kinds of disinfectant products.  Scott pulled his shirt over his head and Laura started indicating where she was going to put the tattoo.  

Stiles watched from a spot closer to the door, not wanting to be too close once the actual process started.  Scott and Laura talked easily and Stiles could tell Scott liked her.  Derek, on the other hand, watched them a bit warily but maybe that was just his default face setting.  Some people had resting bitch face, but maybe he had permanent distrust gaze. 

Derek fell away from everything for Stiles as soon as Laura started the actual tattooing.  As soon as the gun was humming and he could see her running it over Scott's skin with more pressure than he knew humans got done with he felt a bit faint.

He leaned against the wall and tried to take deep, even breaths but he felt warm and clammy at once but couldn't look away.  Scott and Laura both realized he was losing it quickly and she jerked her head in his direction.

"Der, why don't you take Stiles for a coffee?  Ask him some questions." 

Out of the corner of Stiles' eye he saw Derek look over at him and take a step towards him.  Stiles let Derek lead him gently by the arm back to the front of the parlor.  As soon as he was away from the noise and could see something other than needles and the faint welling of blood he could breathe again.  Derek watched him closely as Stiles felt his tense muscles relax but he was shakier than he realized.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking down at his feet.

"Could be worse.  You didn't barf, that's better than some people," Derek said dismissively.  He tapped Stiles on the shoulder briefly and gestured to the door.  "Come on, let's go get that coffee."

Stiles gave Derek a scrutinizing look.  "Will you tell me where you have a tattoo?"

"Nope," Derek replied and smirked as he held the shop door open.  Stiles frowned but passed by Derek with his head held high.  

"My ass _would_ look good in spandex," he murmured as he stepped outside and waited for Derek to follow.

When he fumbled with closing the door after a too-long pause Stiles grinned to himself and was prepared for an interesting exchange over coffee.


End file.
